Drug Therapy

Drug therapy refers to treatment options using pharmacological substances. There is a wide range of pharmacological substances used to treat diseases and other health conditions. Because the prevalence of diseases and other health conditions tends to be higher among incarcerated offenders when compared with the general population, it is understandable that the need for drug therapy may be relatively high among inmates. However, the use of drug therapy among prison populations, although primarily to treat health conditions, can also facilitate surveillance and monitoring, as well as be a means of self- and social control. Drug therapy contributes to change in behavior based on social control, enhances effective inmate management, and facilitates improvement in the health status of offenders.

The extent of drug therapy in the criminal ...